Yale Improves Ranking to No. 19, Readies to Face Stony Brook

Steph Kent. (photo by Sam Rubin '95, Yale Sports Publicity)

Mar 01, 2012

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Yale women's tennis team moved up from No. 25 to No. 19 in the latest ITA rankings, and will test that ranking for the first time against Stony Brook on Sunday at the Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center.

The new rankings from the ITA reflect the impressive showings Yale has had against quality opponents, including the team's fourth consecutive ECAC Indoor Championship and a victory over William & Mary. The team still has no ranked singles players despite dominating the regional rankings, but the rankings reflect the team's real strength, which has been doubles. The Bulldogs have taken the doubles point in nine consecutive matches, and the ITA rewarded that success by ranking four Yale doubles pairs. Senior Vicky Brook and freshman Hanna Yu play at No. 1 for the Bulldogs, and lead the Yale representatives in the rankings at No. 22. That pairing is followed closely by junior Elizabeth Epstein and sophomore Annie Sullivan, who come in at No. 24 and have won nine consecutive matches in the No. 2 spot. Yale's No. 3 doubles team, composed of senior captain Steph Kent and sophomore Blair Seideman, is ranked No. 38. Finally, although they have not played together since January, Sullivan and freshman Amber Li make up the nation's No. 58 doubles pairing.

Stony Brook currently has a 4-2 record on the season, but is yet to play a ranked team. The Seawolves are currently riding a three-match win streak, all of which have been 7-0 smack downs. Stony Brook's only ranked player at any level is Nini Lagvilava, who is sixth in the Northeast Region, behind Epstein at No. 2 and Yu at No. 3, and just ahead of Brook at No. 7.